If you plan to visit the Philippines in the near future, you may want to convert USD to PHP. While most big Philippine cities have a high level of credit card acceptance, experts recommend that you have some emergency cash on hand—especially if you’re traveling to areas outside major towns and cities.
Here’s what you need to know before converting U.S. dollars into Philippine pesos, including how to make the conversion and where you’ll find the best exchange rates.
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How to convert U.S. Dollars to Philippine Pesos
There are two ways to calculate approximately how many Philippine pesos you can get for your dollar: You can either use a conversion calculator or convert it by hand. Here’s a closer look at each method.
1. Use a Currency Calculator
Using a currency conversion calculator is a great way to estimate how much money you’ll have to spend on your trip. Since exchange rates change often, using a calculator will help ensure that your conversion is correct.
Keep in mind that exchanging currency typically comes with fees that won’t be factored in by a calculator. For example, most credit card processors and ATM networks charge a 1% conversion fee on all foriegn transactions. Individual merchants may also pass along their own fees if you ask them to convert a price into your home currency at the cash register.
2. Calculate It Manually
The other option is to calculate the conversion manually. However, before you can get started, you need to know the current exchange rate. At the time of writing, $1 USD is equivalent to ₱ 54.92 PHP.
Manual Currency Conversion Example
Say that you have $500 USD and you want to know how much money you would have for a trip to the Philippines. In that case, your conversion equation would look something like this:
$500 USD x 54.92 = ₱ 27,460 PHP
How to Buy Philippine Pesos
Exchange at a bank or credit union before your trip: Exchanging money at your local banking center before your trip is likely the most cost-effective way to get the money you need. Since you have an existing relationship with the bank, it’s more likely to give you the best exchange rates. Still, some fees may apply. For example, TD Bank charges its customers $7.50 for each currency conversion transaction.
Order currency online: If you can’t order online through your bank, you can also have currency delivered to your door by third-party providers like Currency Exchange International (CXI). Just be sure to do your research and to keep an eye out for high fees. While CXI doesn’t charge any exchange fees, it will charge you up to $30 for overnight shipping,
Use your bank’s ATM abroad for withdrawals where possible: If you have to exchange more money while abroad, your best bet is to find an ATM in your home bank’s network, as that can help you save on fees. For example, Citibank and HSBC have ATMs in the Philippines. Most banking apps have an “ATM locator” feature that can help you find the closest option.
Look for SM Mall department stores: This popular department store chain in the Philippines has a currency exchange counter inside. However, exchange rates may vary by store. SM Mall suggests calling customer service at (02)8811-0000 beforehand to confirm rates at nearby locations.
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What to Avoid
- Currency exchange at the airport: While waiting to exchange currency at the airport may be convenient, it’s often a costly decision. Currency exchange kiosks often offer some of the worst exchange rates while charging the highest fees.
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